Railway-rail joint.



G. S. ELLIXSON.

RAILWAY RAIL'JOINT.

APPLICATION mm MAR. 16, I910.

151, 34,, 6 Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

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CORNELIUS S. ELLIXSON, OF GRANVILLE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

RAILWAY-RAIL JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application filed March 16, 1910. Serial No. 549,678.

T all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS S. Em r soN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the county of Granville and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Rail Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway rail-joints and consists in a novel construction and combinations herein described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to construct the rail-joint of simple design and one upon which the concussion of moving cars Wlll only suifice to tighten the fastenings of the 'oint. J The invention consists in the use of threadless bolts for holding the parts together and means for tightening said bolts by the movement of inclined planes longitudinally of the rails which inclined surfaces are arranged to engage corresponding beveled grooves in said bolts.

The invention further consists in the employment of a common means for moving said inclined planes and holding the same in the position required.

The invention also consists in having the bed-plate formed of a single piece, and a novel means for holding said bed-plate securely in position required. In theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this application ;Figure 1 is a side elevation of the preferred form of my lmproved ralljoint. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2:2 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the middle of the joint as on the line %i of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified embodiment of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 and 2 are a pair of rails having their adjacent ends abutting against each other. The abutting ends of said rails are arranged upon a bed-plate 3 while overlapping the ends of the rails and frictionally engaged in said bed-plate are a pair of fish-plates 4 and 5. The adjoining ends of the rails are cut away approximately at their center to receive a small block 6 arranged therein to prevent vertical movement of the rails in relation to each other, which generally causes a bumping action as the train runs over the joint and which eventually causes a loosening of the joint.

The fish-plates 4 and 5 are arranged with rectilinear openings 7 and 8 directly opposite each other and arranged to be brought in alinement with corresponding openings 9 in the rails 1 and 2. A pair of plates 10 arranged on one side of the joint are provided with holes 11 adapted to receive the small ends 12 of flattened bolts 13. The body of the bolts 13 is arranged to pass through the openings 7, 8 and 9 in the fishplates and rails securing the same together. The head 14% on the opposite end of the bolt is arranged to engage the fish-plate on the opposite side of the joint from that on which the plates 10 are secured. A plurality of grooves 15 are arranged in the plates 10, connecting the openings 11 in said plates. These grooves are cut in certain portions of the plate 10 which are beveled as shown at 12 forming inclined planes. The bolts 13 are provided with cut-away portions 16 adjacent the head 12, forming shoulders 17, which are arranged to engage the inclined planes on the plates 10.

The ends of the plate 10 adjacent the center of the joint are provided with outwardly extending flanges 18 which flanges are provided with openings 19 to receive the end of a screw threaded bolt 20. A pair of nuts 21 are threaded on said bolt, each of which is adapted to engage the outer surface of one of the flanges 18.

The bed-plate 3 is arranged with upturned longitudinal flanges 22, the ends of which are bent as at 28. The lower flanges of the fish-plates 4 and 5 are formed toward their outer edges in the shape of a wedge 24. The upper edges of these fish-plates are beveled as shown at 25 and are arranged to fit tightly against the lower faces of the head of the ra1 In putting my joint together I first bring the ends of the rails adjacent each other and insert the block 6 in the notches formed in the ends of the rail. The fish-plates are then loosely mounted in position and the whole thrust in between the upturned flanges of the bed-plate. After bringing the openings in the rail web and fish-plates in alinement with each other the bolts 13 are thrust through these openings and also through the openings 11 in the plates 10 which plates are then pushed away from the center of the joint in which operation the inclined planes l2 engage the shoulders 17 on the heads of the bolts and exert a-wedging .action thereon tightening the joint and holding the parts in position. These plates are secured inposition by screwing the nuts 21 tightly against the flangeslS. This affords a very satisfactory and advantageous construction, as the only manner in which the joint can loosen is by movement of the wedge plates, thus allowing a lateral movement between the rails andfish plates. However, the slightest movement of these wedge plates will bring their outwardly turned flanges more firmly against the-nuts on the bolt 20 and effectually lock them against rotation. I

As shown in the drawings, the fish-plates are arranged at a slight angle to the vertical the upper edges extending outwardly from therail web. In tightening the bolts 13 the upper edges of the fish-plates are brought into engagement with the inclined lower faces of the heads of the rails. This gives extreme strength to thejoint as the separate pieces cannot besprung apart and the only way in which the joint can become loosened is by breaking of one or more of the essential parts. 1 j j In the formation of the plates 10 the flanges 18 might be formed of a separate piece of a slightly resilient nature, thus taking up; in afurtherdegree any play; between the plates caused by any jarring of the joint and forminga perfect means for locking the nuts 21 in position. 7 I

In Fig. 51 have shown a slightly modified form of my IIIVQIItlOIIwIII-QWIIICII117W!) short bolts 26 and 27 are engaged by a turn buckle 28 any movement of which causes either an'approach or a. separation of said bolts These bolts are arranged with a boss 29 to engage the flanges 18 on the plates 10.

I have outlined herewith the preferred form of my invention, but ,do not ,.want to limit myself to the specific constructions and uses herein shown and described.

Having thus described my inventionwhat I claim as new and wish to protect by Letters Patent'is 1. In a rail joint, a pair of rails, fish plates overlapping said rails, bolts connecting said fish plates and rails, oppositely disposed wedges arranged to engage said bolts, outstanding lugs on the adjacent ends of said wedges and a rigid adjustable, connection engaging said lugs for simultaneously movingsaid wedges inopposite directions and l i saido s mp i n-p V 2. In arail joint, pair of rails, fish plates overlapping ,said rails, bolts connecting said fish plates and rails, reversely arranged wedges engaging said bolts and a common rigid means for simultaneously moving said wedges -in opposite directions and holding said bolts in position.- V

. 3. In a rail oint, a pair of rails, fish plates overlapping said rails, bolts connecting said fish plates and rails, oppositely disposed wedgesarranged to engage said bolts, outstanding lugs onfthe adjacent ends ofsaid wedges, a threaded bar passing through openings on said outstanding lugs, and a pair of nuts threadedon said bar and adaptedv to engagev said outstanding lugs for simultaneously moving said wedges in opposite directions and holding said bolts in position.

4. In a rail joint, a pair of rails, fish plates overlapping said rails, bolts connecting said fish plates and rails, reversely arranged wedges engagingsaid bolts and common means for simultaneously moving said wedges in opposite directions and holding said bolts in position: and resilient means for locking said tightening means in position. 7

. In testimony whereof I affix"my signature in presence of two witnesses. V

j .CO RNELIUS S. ELLIXSON.

ne s xm T MAX. HORN, JAMns F. PURYEAR.

Copies et this patent inay be obtained for cents each, addressing the cbmmiuioner o! lllie ltl Wuhlngton, D. 0." 

